The Twelve Days of Craftsmas
by EnderFriend284
Summary: A collection of twelve family and winter themed short stories based in the world of my main storyline. One will be released each of the twelve days of Christmas. Genres may vary.
1. Snow

**A/N: Hey, Ender here. So this is going to be a selection of winter themed one shots, and I will do my best to put out one per day for the twelve days. Anyway, on with the first story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Minecraft**

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><p><strong>Story 1: Snow<strong>

**Summary: When Ender wants to see something that she has only heard of in stories, Shadow is more than happy to oblige, even if it's not all that beneficial.**

**Shadow's POV**

"Shadow, what's snow?" a small voice asked from the edge of my room. Slightly startled to hear her after I had put her to bed, I looked up from what I was reading. Ender peered in through the doorway, antennae twisting nervously around themselves.

"Why do you ask little one?" Standing, I walked over and knelt in front of her, pulling the door open the front of the way. Ender yawned, reaching an arm up to rub a tired eye. Beside her, Eclipse stretched, rubbing against Ender like a little cat. Ender rested her tail across the little dragon's shoulders, thinking.

Finally, she said "'cause I never seen it before. It's in the stories sometimes, but I wanna see it. Misty wasn't very good at explaining it."

"Alright little one." I murmured, sweeping her up in my arms, her pet jumping upwards to perch across my shoulders. "But it will have to be when you wake up. You know how you are when you don't get enough sleep. Drowsily, she nodded, the warmth of my arms and the gentle motion of my walking putting her to sleep. Carefully, I walked to her room, tucking her under the blankets and leaving Eclipse snuggled next to her.

"Sleep well little one." I whispered, leaving the door open slightly in case she needed me. *You need to sleep now too.* said Illusion.

"I know." I said softly "But there's something I have to do first.

**Ender's POV**

*Ender, wakey wakey.* Mist sent, prodding me mentally.

_Hmm, wha? _ I groaned, stretching my wings slightly. Blinking my eyes open, I winced at the bright torchlight blinding me. "Why'd you wake me up?" I murmured, pulling my blanket over my head.

*Because Illusion told me to wake you up.* she said *He says that Shadow wanted to see you.*

"Alright, I'll go see him in a minute." I sighed, running a hand across Eclipse's back spines. Stretching, I slipped off the bed, the chill of the stone floors leeching into my body. "Where is Shadow?" I asked Mist, padding from the room.

She was silent for a moment before saying *Just outside I think.* I nodded in acknowledgment, walking quickly to the kitchen while carefully avoiding the gaze of the Endermen meandering through the hallways.

*Where are you going?* Mist asked *There's a closer door to outside by our room.*

"I'm hungry." I said "And Shadow can wait till I eat something." Reaching the kitchen, I grabbed one of the chairs, pulling it over to rest beside the counter. Climbing up carefully I pulled myself onto the seat, standing and reaching for the cupboard where Shadow kept the bread. Usually I would have something more substantial to eat, but Shadow had forbidden me from using the furnace.

*Why are you still upset about that?* asked Mist *He found you in the kitchen in the middle of the night trying to make chicken.*

_I'd seen him do it before, I thought I could do it._

*Yeah, well he was just worried about you.* said Mist *Its not every kid that tries to so things like that.*

_Well I wouldn't know would I? I've never met anyone else my age._ Standing on my tiptoes, I reached up towards the top shelf, irritated at Shadow for keeping it up so high. "Just a bit further." I strained, reaching towards the container of bread. In hopes of reaching the last little distance I lifted my other hand from the counter-top, straining towards the box.

My eyes widened as I felt the chair slip out from under me, leaving nothing between me and the floor except several feet of empty space. I tried to grab the cupboard, the counter, anything as I fell, but all I succeeded in doing was ramming my face into the counter-top. With an enormous crash I hit the floor, the already unstable chair falling on top of my already injured form. A groan of pain came from my mouth, followed by shaking sobs as the adrenalin left my system, leaving me in pain on the floor.

*Ender, are you alright?* cried Mist. When I didn't respond, too caught up in the pain to do so, she sent frantically *Illusion, we need help! Something happened, and it's bad.*

*We're coming.* sent Illusion, picking up on the distress in Mist's tone. A moment later, Shadow raced into the room, eyes wide as he frantically looked for me. Spotting me, he hurried over, lifting the chair off carefully and crouching next to my shuddering form.

"What happened?" he asked, gaze flicking up and down "Did one of the Endermen attack you?"

"No." I sniffed, spitting drops of blood from my mouth.

"Come here." he said, drawing me close. I winced as the movement shifted me, but the worst pain came from one of my wings. I had fallen directly on it and it now bent at an unnatural angle. Shadow winced as he saw it, carefully running a hand along it to judge what was wrong. "Lets get you cleaned up." he murmured, standing with me held close. The movement of hi body, usually enough to put me to sleep, only served to jostle my wounds. Closing my eyes, I wished that the pain would just go away.

**Shadow's POV**

I felt Ender's magic shift and I looked down in concern, worried that she had some more serious injury that I had overlooked.

_Mist, tell me if she's getting worse._ I sent, running towards the potions lab where I had been making a couple extra batches of potions for cases like this. Normal potions didn't always work right on Enderkind, and the special ones that did took ages to brew.

Reaching the lab, I shoved the door inwards, laying Ender on an empty table. Grabbing a bottle of water and a potion I set about diluting the healing brew. It was far too strong in its current state for her to handle. The book I got the recipe from cautioned against even fully grown Enderlords drinking the potion undiluted except in extreme circumstances.

With the potion now properly diluted I turned my attention back to Ender. Her major injuries seemed to be a broken wing and a split lip, though numerous other bruises and scratches had become visible. "Mist, what happened to her?" I asked, standing beside the wounded child "All I asked was for her to come and see me."

*Well I told her that.* said Mist *But she was hungry and insisted on going to get something to eat. One thing led to another and she slipped off a chair she was using to try and reach a high shelf. I'm sorry, I should have stopped her before anything happened.***  
><strong>"It's alright." I said, looking down at Ender's injured form "It's nothing that won't heal." Shaking her shoulder gently I whispered "Ender, you need to wake up now." She woke slowly, eyes fluttering open as the adjusted to the light. She shifted and abruptly one arm reached for her broken wing, seeking out the source of the pain.

"Easy." I soothed, holding her arm down "It's alright. We're going to make it all better." Carefully I helped her to sit up, handing her the diluted potion. She drank it hesitantly, wrinkling her nose at the taste but not complaining. Her split lip healed almost at once, along with the smaller scrapes. Her wing on the other hand, would take longer. Carefully I felt along it, feeling that the break had been partially mended. It would take weeks though before it had healed enough to practice flying again.

"Feel better?" I asked, handing her a cloth to wipe the blood off her face. She nodded, eyes downcast. "It's alright." I said, knowing from her expression what she was worried about "I'm not mad. But if you're feeling up to it, I do have something to show you." She nodded hesitantly and I picked her up, setting her on my shoulders and holding her gently on with my antennae, hopefully preventing another fall. Carefully, to keep from upsetting my passenger, I walked to the room I had prepared. "I hope you like it." I said simply, lifting her off my shoulders and pushing the door open, gesturing for her to enter.

Hesitantly, she went in, arms wrapped around herself as a frigid gust of air blew from the room, bringing with it a dusting of tiny ice crystals. Beyond the threshold stood a winter landscape, skeletal trees decorated with fine tracings of frost and numerous banks of glistening fresh white snow piled around, forming a boarder along several shoveled paths. Ender entered nervously, eyes widening and hands outstretched to catch a falling flake. She stared at it, mesmerized by its shape before it melted in her warm hands, leaving behind a watery stain that made her wince.

"What is it?" she asked, turning bright green eyes to look at me for an explanation.

"It's snow." I said, carefully entering the room. True to its description though, the shield spell I had cast kept the flakes from landing on me and stealing mt power, directing them to fall to either side.

"This is snow?" asked Ender, catching another freezing flake "Then why does it hurt me?"

"It's frozen water little one." I said "When it melts, it does what water always does. Go look in that chest over there though. I put some stuff in it that should keep you warm and keep it from melting on you."

Ender nodded, rushing over to peer into the chest. Smiling, I watched her go, slipping on the winter garments and exploring the little snow filled glade I had constructed. After a while, she ran over, cheeks red from the cold and wrapped her arms around my legs.

"I love you Shadow." she said, voice muffled by my legs.

"I love you too Ender." I said, reaching down to pick her up and hold her close. "And I'm glad you like the snow."


	2. Candles

**Story 2: Candles**

**Summary: If there's one thing that Notch and Herobrine agree on, it's that candles are awesome. So when they find themselves lost in the wilderness, it's this fact that they look to.**

**Herobrine's POV**

"Ugh, where am I?" I murmured, waking to an unexpected feeling of cold. Not even the Aether at its coldest had felt like this. Blinking my eyes open, I gasped in surprise upon seeing open sky rather than the usual ceiling of my room in Notch's Aether palace. Sitting up abruptly, I wrapped my arms around my body, feeling the chill of the air seep into me.

"Why am I so cold?" I shivered, eyes scanning the area around me. Tall, leafless trees rose up around me, coated in a fresh snow that bore no marks to indicate how I might have gotten here. A flash of yellow near the base of one of the trees caught my attention and I stood slowly, slogging through the deep snow towards whatever it was. By the time I traversed the relatively short distance I was completely out of breath, snow crusting my boots and pants and weighing me down.

"Notch!" I gasped upon seeing what the yellow shape had proven to be. Ignoring the cold I dropped down next to him, reaching towards his neck to check for any signs of life. A hand grabbed my wrist as I did so, holding it immobile and cutting into my flesh with sharp fingernails.

"Don't get any closer." hissed Notch, eyes mere slits as he glared at me "What have you done?"

"What, me?" I asked defensively "I haven't done anything. I don't even know where we are much less how we got here. Actually, I don't really remember anything after we had that argument." I shifted back slightly from Notch as he sat up, eyes still narrowed.

"Yeah, that argument." he said flatly.

"Look, I'm sorry I'm not perfect." I sighed "But I really don't want to keep dealing with that right now. Have you noticed where we are?"

Slightly mollified, he looked around, eyes widening as he took in the area where we were situated. He seemed to become aware of the cold air around us as well, wings curling slightly around his body and a slight shiver shaking his body. With some concern I looked at his wings, silently searching for any breaks. Cold made them brittle, and I really didn't want to have him in danger of bleeding everywhere from a torn wing. As I looked though, I noticed something strange.

"What's wrong with your wings?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to start us fighting again but concerned by the lack of shifting colors that always seemed to be present. Startled, he looked up quizzically, turning his gaze towards his wings.

"What?" he breathed, letting out a startled gasp. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and paling slightly. "I can't feel my powers." he said softly, his lips almost blue now from the cold. Seriously worried now, I opened myself to the magic, reaching for my fire magic. But like Notch, I encountered nothing. Searching further, I found nothing but the portion of my link with Notch that wasn't bound to our powers.

"What's going on then?" I asked, scooting closer to him in hopes of warming him up a bit.

"I don't know." he murmured, shiver more pronounced now.

"Come on." I said, standing and pulling him up with me, trying to support him despite how cold I felt "We just need to get out of the snow. Then we can hopefully warm up a bit." He nodded, leaning closer to me in hopes of finding a bit of protection from the biting wind. I looped the end of my cape over his shoulders, eyes scanning the area for any place that we might be able to shelter from the elements. A small cave entrance set into the edge of a hill caught my eye and I waved my hand in front of Notch's face, hoping to get his attention. "Over there, see?" I said, gesturing towards the small opening. Notch nodded, expression brightening slightly at the prospect of being out of the wind.

Now keenly aware of how weak the two of us were I managed to drag us to the small cave, placing a few blocks in the entrance in attempt to keep out the wind.

"Come on Notch, you've got to stay awake." I said, shaking his shoulder, trying to hide my panic when he didn't respond at first. If anything serious happened to him out here, to either of us for that matter, well things would not end well for us or the realms unless our link to Shadow and Steve still worked without our powers.

"But it's cold." he murmured at last, eyes opening slowly.

"I know." I sighed "But I can't make it go away right now. My powers, as you know, are not working today." Reaching into my pockets and hidden pouches, I pulled out the few meager supplies I had with me. A few miscellaneous blocks, some redstone dust, a half broken shovel, a stray arrow. An amid the last few bits of random debris, a single candle, a special version of a torch that Crafters used mainly for magical rituals. "Hey, look Notch, a candle." I said, waving the thing in front of his face in hopes of distracting him from the cold.

"Where?" he asked, eyes staring blankly into the darkness. Even without my powers, my night vision was far better than his had ever been.

"What stuff do you have with you?" I asked, hoping he had something to light up this dark cave. That at least would make it feel a bit more secure and allow me to so something with Notch to pass the time.

"Uh, some tools, couple blocks, bit of flint and uh, this." he held up a candle almost identical to mine, a faint yellowish tinge to its wax where as mine had a light red hue.

"It's another candle." I said, looking at it in confusion "Where did we get candles? We don't hang out around Crafter mages."

"I don't remember." said Notch nervously "And I don't that. I don't like it when things don't add up like that."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." I sighed "When I first built the Nether, I had constant blackouts, waking up with no idea what had happened. I had thought that was over, but apparently not."

"At least its candles though." said Notch "And not something really weird."

"Yeah."

"I quite like candles actually. Their all nice and glowy, soft light, not harsh like from some other sources."

"I like candles too." I said, leaning back against the side of the cave. "A little bit of fire that is perfectly content with itself, not wishing to burn brighter than it is for destruction or to show its might. Sometimes, I wish I could be like the candle flame, happy with what I am and not caring a bit about how others see me. But I'm not like a candle flame. I'm like a blazing fire, one minute keeping a house warm all helpfully, then next setting the carpet alight by mistake. Because, like I said, I am not perfect."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." sighed Notch, shifting closer "There are days when I wish I could be like a candle too. A candle has soft light that helps without blinding, that shines without having to be the center of notice. But I, despite efforts otherwise, am not like that. I am like a little sun in the middle of a dark room, distracting from all else by forced contrast, who's rays hurt all whos eyes try to see. And its because I am also not perfect." He said the last bit softly, in an almost pained tone. I knew how much it hurt to admit something like that, even to someone you trusted.

"Hero, I don't think we're going to make it out of this." he said finally, eyes downcast.

"That's alright." I said, resting my head on his shoulder "I always thought we would get longer than this, that we would see the sand prophecy completed, but if fate says our time is up, who are we to argue. At least we are together." The words I had spoken surprised even me. I had not know that was how I felt, but at least the others would no longer be held back by having to clean up my messes. With that thought, I set my candle next to his, the two almost touching. Then I lay back beside Notch, waiting for the inevitable.

Abruptly Notch sat up, eyes wide.

"You alright?"

"I thought I heard something. There!" As he spoke a shovel pierced through the dirt blocks I had placed in front of the entrance, letting light seep into the cave. Shatter stood silhouetted against the landscape, shovel in hand.

"I found them!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Shadow's idea, not mine." he said abruptly, tossing over a couple potions. "Those should fix your powers. Stevie says he's sorry he couldn't stop this." With that he vanished, racing away from the entrance.

"Shadow did this to us?" I asked hesitantly, picking up one of the potions and yanking off the top with my heavily shivering fingers. "But why? We could have been killed."

"I don't know." said Notch, grabbing the other potion and downing it "But he is going to regret it. Oh, that feels so much better." Thin flickers of color lazily traced their way down his frozen wings, gradually restoring his normal powers.

Carefully, I drank my potion, relief filling my body as the usual warmth of my magic flowed through me again.

"You guys alright?" asked Shadow, peering in through the entrance.

"You are going to pay for this." hissed Notch, lunging for Shadow and only succeeding in falling forwards. Shadow caught him with an outstretched tail, gently stopping his wings from vibrating with a careful finger.

"I didn't want to do this." he said "But you two were always fighting. We didn't have a day go by for almost a month without at least one. I had hoped this would help you to understand each other. Alright?"

Reluctantly I nodded, my eye catching Notch's gaze. _First we recover._ I sent cautiously.

*Then we strike.* he agreed, pulling himself to his feet. Slowly we followed after Shadow, heading towards where Mirexal was waiting with a portal back to the Aether.


	3. Stars

**Story Three: Stars**

**Summary: Both Notchie and Teloxen are drawn to the stars one night, and they come to terms as fellow outcasts who often feel left out by others.**

**Teloxen's POV**

The stars were calling to me again, inviting me to come and rest beneath their pale light. They called more strongly than ever since Miritayen had claimed me as his chosen. Other things called to me too, their magics attempting to link to mine as a point of balance, but the stars were always the strongest ones I encountered regularly.

The stars weren't like people, they accepted that I had done things I was not proud of and forgave me for things that few others would.

Glancing out the window for a conflicted moment, I stood from where I had been seated on the bed, walking over to the door, a door which led out onto a small balcony overlooking the edge of the Aether island. Closing my eyes, I opened the door, stepping out into the freezing evening air of the Aether. It had started to warm up a bit recently, but it still was no where near the temperature it had been for all the years I ruled here. Shivering, I pulled my wings underneath the silver cloak I wore, wrapping the damaged appendages tight around my body.

Sighing after a moment of looking over the landscape I turned, eyes tracing the long tendrils of vine that dangled down from the roof and onto my balcony.

"I said I wasn't going to do this again." I grunted, grabbing hold of a length of vine and pulling myself upwards, slowly climbing the building. After a few agonizing minutes of climbing with shaking fingers I reached the top, shoving my hands into deep pockets and letting out a sigh as the warmth began to creep back into them. Stepping towards one side of the roof, I slid a cover off of what looked like a random collection of blocks, revealing a bed layered with blankets and surrounded by blocks of wool to cut the chill brought on by any wind.

Sitting down on one end of the bed I pulled the blankets over my shoulders, relishing the warmth as I stared up at the star streaked sky above.

"It's lovely isn't it." a voice said from behind me. Startled I spun towards the source of the voice, wings instinctively trying to raise in a threatening motion but only succeeding in getting them tangled in my cloak and several layers of blanket that were draped over them. A Starlord with shoulder length blond hair stood a few blocks away, wings twitching in amusement at my sudden reaction.

"Oh, Notchie you scared me." I exclaimed, freeing my wings from the tangle of fabric and draping a thin blanket properly over them.

"Sorry. It didn't really occur to me that you wouldn't be expecting anyone else to be up here." he said, stretching his arms over his head. As he did I noticed that he was only wearing his usual short sleeved attire, leaving a good portion of his body exposed to the chill of the elements.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked, pulling the blanket closer around myself as the thought of the chill seemed to make my body more aware of its presence.

Notchie looked surprised for a moment, then a look of understanding crossed his features. "I finally found a thermal spell that works for me without making me pass out. It's pretty nice, much better than having to wear cold weather gear to protect my wings every time I want to go outside around here. Maybe it will convince the others that I am not as useless as they seem to think I am."

"I know the feeling." I sighed, stroking one of the ragged ends of my wings distractedly.

"Yeah." sighed Notchie "The stars don't think I'm useless though. I hear their songs. They're sad, so few hear their voices now. They've been forgotten. But not by me, never by me." Notchie sat on the flat bricks of the roof, laying back against the raised ring that surrounded the edge as a kind of low railing. The faint ripple of his thermal spell was visible as he shifted, a haze of heat escaping from beneath the protective barrier.

Sheepishly I stared downwards as I considered his words, realizing with a twinge of shame that I was the reason the star songs were heard by so few. Consciously or not, I had brought about their loneliness, only hearing their cries of dismay when the blood of their lords was on my hands for the first time. But still I persisted, slaying them myself and ordering others to do the same. And for what? To please a father who only ever wanted to use me for his own benefit. Who saw me not as a child, but just another pawn in his great game.

Notchie's expression softened as he caught my gaze, light purple splashes blooming on his wings. "I didn't mean it like that Teloxen." he said softly, eyes flicking slightly lower. "The stars forgave you long ago, when you tried to make amends with them."

"It doesn't matter." I sighed, letting out a small, condescending smile "I deserved that. It's just another account of how right others are."

"Don't say that." he said, sad little trickles of blue and purple sliding down his wings "When you say things like that over and over, you start to believe them, just a bit. And when you believe something, then to you at least it's true."

"Yeah, but it is true, no matter what I think. The others have shown how they feel about me. I hear what they say. Traitor, worthless, broken, dangerous, waste of magic, half breed, they call me all of these and more. They would be grateful if I were to just dispensary."

"Teloxen, that's not true." exclaimed Notchie, a thin film of tears springing to his eyes "There are people who care about you, who would miss you if something were to happen to you. Mist, Miritayen, the stars, and me. Others as well I'm sure."

"You overestimate me." I sighed, looking away "I'm not really needed for much of anything."

"You're wrong." said Notchie, staring directly at me "There will be a time when all the others regret how they have treated you because you are the one who has all the power over them, to decide what their fate should be."

"You can't know that." I murmured, trying to escape his intense gaze.

"I can friend." he said seriously "And I am. The stars told me."

"I don't know." I sighed "It just doesn't seem like something that would happen to an outcast like me. I'm the one they taunt with jokes, not hail with praises."

"Teloxen, look at me." insisted Notchie. Reluctantly I did so, my greenish gray eyes meeting his bright blue ones. "I know that the way the others treat you hurts. Trust me, I do. I'm not just saying that. I was an outcast too at one point, remember? In some ways, I still am. But you can't let that shape who you are. If you do, you will just become what they say you are. You have to cling to the good things, following those who stand up for you and dealing with those who don't. I'm not saying it's easy, ore even that it works all the time. But it's worth it, for the little delights that you find."

"Well, you say that."

"No Teloxen, I'm not just saying it. I've lived it. After the Starlords were declared to be traitors and I fell out of the Aether, I had nothing to live for. I spent my time on the run until I was captured and then I spent my time there, constantly harassed for being so small, having magic, being different in general. Then I met Ender and the others, and things changed. It wasn't just that we got out of prison. For the first time in ages, I had purpose. I had people who, even if they didn't like me all the time, at least trusted and supported me."

"I guess." I sighed.

"Alright." said Notchie reluctantly, standing "I'm going to go now, don't stay out here all night. I don't want you to do anything you will regret."

"I won't" I said, standing and smoothing the blankets back onto the bed and covering it with the cover once more. "Don't worry, I'm going inside now anyway. It's too cold to be out here any longer, no matter what the stars may say about it." The younger lord nodded, climbing to the top of the small railing and jumping off, wings outstretched as he glided to the next island, where the second half of the palace was located.

Watching him a bit enviously, I grabbed hold of the vines and descended back to my balcony. To my surprise, the main redstone lamps were on, not just the solitary torch that usually burned to dissuade mobs from spawning when I was not around.

"Is there someone in here?" I asked hesitantly, pushing the door that led into the room open. My instincts were cautioning me against straight in, still expecting everything to be a trap like it had been when I lived with Zeren.

"Teloxen, you're okay!" a deep blue blur enveloped me, wiry arms and soft dark wings wrapping themselves around my shivering body and holding me close.

"Need to breath." I gasped, the pressure on my body just enough to keep me from getting the air I needed.

"Oops, sorry." the blue winged lord loosened his grip, leaning back slightly so he could look at my face clearly even with our height difference.

"Sallen, uh what's going on? Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened." he sighed, running a hand through his bluish hair "I just was coming to see you, make sure everything was alright after the stuff with Miritayen and such, and you weren't here and no one else knew where you were. So I may have panicked a bit. I had noticed that you had been feeling left out and dejected lately and I thought maybe you had... taken it upon yourself to end that. I'm glad you're safe though, I never would have forgiven myself if something had happened to you."

"Thank you Sallen." I sniffed, wrapping my arms around the other lord. "Thank you for always being there for me."

"Of course." he said "We're family, in spirit if not in blood. That's what family do for each other."


	4. Reunion

**Story Four: Reunion**

**Summary: Ender and Flare decide to spend an evening together, leaving Mist and Teloxen with the time to finally reacquaint themselves.**

**Mist's POV**

"Come on Flare, we're going to be late." shouted Ender, racing through the corridors of Steve's castle looking for the other lord. I grinned in amusement as I watched, delighted that for once I was not forced to passively take part in this. Ender had insisted on splitting for this outing, she refused to call it a date despite it being exactly that. Something about it being awkward if she knew someone else was with them. Personally I was not devastated about this. Flare might be Ender's dream, but I already had a boyfriend and had no desire to see Ender and Flare awkwardly try to figure out what they best was to kiss each other was.

"Have fun you two." called Shadow, looking up from his potions book. "And Flare, you better bring her back safe. Otherwise you might as well not come back at all."

"Alright." he said, looking slightly nervous.

"Shadow, don't scare him like that." scolded Ender.

"Alright. Just be careful. The Crafters don't like anyone different than them very much."

"You worry too much." she laughed. Then her gaze softened. "But you know I will be careful." Behind me, I felt someone approach slowly, a questioning touch brushing my presence.

_Hey Teloxen._ I sent, feeling a smile spring to my lips as he slid his hand into mine, one of his wings brushing softly against mine.

*Hello.* he sent *Want to do something together? We don't know when you and Ender will be split again after this.*

_Of course._ I sent, resting my tail against his back _We haven't done anything together since we found __each other__ again. We most __certainly__ should not let this __opportunity__ be wasted._

*Good* he sighed *I've missed you you know.*

_I have as well. _I sent, watching the others leave. _Come on, let's go somewhere we can talk more privately._ Turning, I saw him nod, trailing after me as I went towards a less populated area of the castle.

"I've missed you so much." murmured Teloxen as we entered one of the tower rooms near the top of the castle, embracing me and wrapping his damaged wings around me.

"I know." I sighed, winding my tail loosely around his waist. "So tell me." I said, leaning into his embrace "How did things happen after I was banished?"

"Well," sighed Teloxen, looking away slightly "When the realm fell, when you were banished, I gave myself fully to the call of Chaos. I had lost you. But that day in the Aether, when I first saw you again, everything changed. I had something to live for again."

"Aw, that's so sweet." I murmured, closing my eyes.

"I'm glad you think so." said Teloxen "Otherwise it would just be really creepy."

"It was devotion for love, I would never think that was creepy."

"What do you want to do then?" asked Teloxen, loosening his embrace.

"We could go explore." I said, smoothing out my slightly ruffled feathers. Teloxen's eyes widened, a look of remembrance filling his eyes.

"Actually, I have something better than just exploring." he said "I know of a place I would love for you to see."

"Where?" I asked, searching for any trace of what he was hinting at in his expression.

"It's going to be a surprise Misty." he said, the old nickname coming to him with a practiced ease. A faint blush rose to my cheeks at the familiarity. It had been forever since someone other than Ender or Illusion had had a direct, non mission related conversation with me, and even longer since it had involved so much tender affection.

"Well, let's go then." I said, not even bothering to try to conceal my blush. Teloxen was good enough at reading my emotions that it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

"Alright." said Teloxen, a light blush of his own blooming to match mine. Still keeping a firm grasp on my hand as we descended the tower, Teloxen led the way back into the castle's main corridors. "Oh, wait I've got to get something." he exclaimed, a delighted expression crossing his features as some idea came to him. "Just go wait by the entrance, I'll be right back." With that, he sprinted away, a wave over his shoulder the last thing I saw before he disappeared around the corner.

_Well, it seems like he's feeling better._ I thought, smiling after him. When we had first been reunited, he had seemed so sad, Zeren's betrayal and the other conflicts he was involved in wearing on him and damaging his spirit. Now that there was at last a break in the continuous conflict that filled the realms, he could finally adapt to a more normal life, and it was most defiantly benefiting him.

In no hurry since I couldn't leave until Teloxen returned anyway, I wandered down to the main entrance of Steve's castle. A few minutes later, Teloxen reappeared, a small basket in hand and a cheery red glow on his cheeks from the exertion.

"You ready?" he asked, almost giddy waves of anticipation rippling off of him.  
>"Yes." I said, drawing out the last syllable "Lead the way love." I followed the other lord as he led us towards the forest, swerving off to follow the boarder of the tree filled expanse as we reached it.<p>

"I really hope you like this." he said after about fifteen more minutes of walking, stepping forwards and seeming to disappear into the greenery of the forest.

Taking a careful step forwards with hands outstretched to hopefully lessen the danger of walking into anything, I felt my hands slip past the curtain of green foliage and encounter no resistance. Still slightly hesitant, I pushed through, leaving the vines swinging in my wake. Beyond the seemingly impassible vines, there was a grassy glade, surrounded on all sides save for the one we had entered by tall trees, trunks so close they almost touched and branches that arced upwards to link together and create a shield that would keep all but the most determined creatures from finding their way into the glade. Soft sunbeams still managed to find their was between the branches, casting a soft speckled light over the area that was just bright enough to comfortably see in and lend a gentle warmth to the area. Bright flowers lined the edge of the glade, far beyond the normal variety that could be commonly found in the Overworld. Amid these bright blooms Teloxen stood, a light blush coloring his cheeks as he took in my reaction.

"Do you like it?" he asked hesitantly, looking around.

"It, it's wonderful!" I exclaimed, bending down to examine a cluster of flowers, a strong, sweet smell emanating from them to match their bright hue. "But how did you find this? And why is it so lovely now? The plains biome might not get as cold as some of the other biomes, but it still had been getting cold enough at night to make these wilt."

"I found the area by accident." he admitted, looking down slightly "I spent a lot of time just wandering around after everything happened, probably more than I should have given the circumstances, but I just needed to have some space. And during the course of that, I found this place. It wasn't quite as safe or hidden then, but a few growth spells and a basic temperature shield got the plants to grow to sizes that could conceal the glade. The flowers were Tanya's idea. She though I needed a hobby to distract myself from everything and got Steve and Shadow to let me have a few of the flower hybrids that they had been working on to eventually introduce to the Overworld. The shield also keeps them from spreading, the others made me promise that I would not let them spread until they discovered the full effect that all the different types would have on different biomes."

"They're beautiful Teloxen." I sighed, inhaling the bright scent of the flowers that permeated the glade.

"I'm glad you like it." he said, sititng gently beside me "I thought you might. I had meant to show you before, but you were always with Ender and I didn't want to bother her."

"Love, I know you feel like you have to step lightly with everyone." I sighed, resting my tail across his back "But if you want me and Ender to split, just ask her. Or me for that matter. If she has a problem with it, then that's tough. But I'm betting she is just as cautious when it comes to asking for time with Flare as you are with me."

"Alright." he said hesitantly "I'll try that next time."

"So." I said, glancing to where the basket he had run off to get earlier sat amidst a cluster of different colored tulips "What is in that basket there? You made me wait this long to see what is inside, and the suspense is getting to me."

Teloxen looked slightly startled, abruptly snapping out of his thoughts. "Oh, yeah, right. Let me get that." Standing carefully so as to avoid squishing any of the delicate flowers, he picked up the basket, opening the top and pulling out a thin blanket of brightly colored wool and spreading it carefully on one of the larger flower free patches of the ground. Then he carefully lifted out several covered dishes, placing them neatly at various locations on the blanket as level as he could and doing his best to keep them from sliding. As he removed the tops from the dishes, the wonderful scent of well prepared food drifted out from them.

"Ender and Flare went out to do something special together, I thought that it might be nice if we did something too. So Cresilia helped me to make some stuff. Well, she did most of the work. It turns out that I'm not very good at cooking." he smiled sheepishly, eyes widening as I lept forwards, warpping my arms around him.

"It's perfect." I whispered "Thank you love."

"Aw, it's nothing." he said, a strong blush rising to his cheeks as he looked away.

"Well, let's eat this before it gets cold. Cresilia said it would stay warm until I opened it."

"Alright." I said, grabbing a plate. "Then we can spend some more time catching up on everything that's happened since the Chaos war.


	5. Trees

**A/N: Hey, Ender here. Sorry this is a bit late but I had a holiday party that took up part of my writing time and I had to write a chapter for Izra's fall yesterday. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Story Five: Trees<strong>

**Summary: Steve and Cresilia spend their first building day together after getting married, and Cresilia takes it upon herself to improve the day for Steve on a holiday that he hates.**

**Steve's POV**

"Why don't you like to celebrate this holiday?" asked Cresilia, looking at me with some concern. "Isn't it based on what you did when you made the realms?"

"Shh, keep it down." I hissed, glancing over my shoulder tp see if anyone had responded to her statement. Fortunately, it seemed to have gone unheard in the crowded market, with people calling to each other about this and that, but I could never be too careful about that kind of thing. One slip up, one word spoke more like a lord than an ordinary Crafter, and this whole side life of mine away from the toils and duties of leadership would be lost. There had been close calls before to make me all too aware of this. Like one time when someone had though they had recognized me. Fortunately though, they had had a few too many potions to drink and thought I was Herobrine, so no one really thought anything of it. But after that day a dark, forest colored cloak had always remained draped over my body when I was in public, to ensure that such a mistake was unlikely to happen again.

"But isn't it?" she whispered as I led her from the crowded square, snaking through the side street of the town until we reached until we reached the edge closest to the forest. Few dared to enter the dark depths, fearing the monsters that lurked there even during the brightest hours of the day. This made it the perfect place for me to stay, hidden from Crafter kind yet protected by obscurity from Herobrine's attacks.

"Yes." I said at last as we reached the edge of the forest and stepped in, the green undergrowth immediately concealing us from any curious eyes in the town. "Building day was created to celebrate the building of the realms, something I did indeed take part in. But that does not mean that I have to like the day. All that ever happens on it is that the Crafters seek me out, drawn like moths to a flame with a desire to see the great lord who helped to create their realm. And all that it gets me is weeks of heightened security and preparations for a dull meet and greet that goes on for days since there are so many of them."

"Poor Steve." murmured Cresilia, draping an arm across my shoulders. "There's a holiday practically made for you and all you get to do is spend your time taking care of what others want. Well, I think it's more than time someone takes care of what you want."

"What are you saying?" I asked, curious and uneasy at the same time. Regardless of what her current form might suggest, Cresilia was still a Creeper, and they had many strange traditions that I could not even begin to understand.

"Oh, don't worry." she said, noticing my worried expression "I didn't mean it like that. We're just going to find you a holiday that you can freely celebrate without others butting in. And I've got an idea of one I think you might like."

"What is is?" I asked, now interested. I would be far less irritated around this time of year if there was something I could devote my time to other than avoiding the constant searching of the Crafters. Then, if I was found I had the added benefit of having a good excuse as to why I wasn't showing myself at the various building day ceremonies. "Is it one that you celebrate?" I asked "Others might be more likely to believe that I am actually celebrating it and not making up an excuse if it is a practice I adopted to you."

"'Course I celebrate it Stevie." she said "I wouldn't just have you take up some random holiday that I knew nothing about. That would be a stupid idea, especially when others asked what you were doing celebrating a mob holiday that you had no plausible connection to. No, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"You know I don't like it when you call me Stevie." I grumbled uncomfortably "But I see your point."

"Come on then." she said, dropping her hand from my shoulder and wrapping it around my hand. "Let's get back home and I can introduce it to you."

"Alright." I murmured, shivering slightly now that the thick canopy of the forest obscured the light warmth given off by the weakening winter sun. Hand in hand we trekked back to the housed, making good time as we moved through the forest, Cresilia's aura enough to keep the monsters away from us.

The house appeared seemingly out of nowhere, the clearing surrounded by closely growing trees and tall grasses that reached to almost head height.

"So what is the holiday then?" I asked as we entered the house, closing the door tightly to keep out any drafts or curious zombies who wanted to try their luck without realizing that Cresilia was present.

"Well its a Creeper holiday like you thought." she said, plopping down on the cushion by the fireplace. "A kind of nature celebration. You take a sapling into your house and decorate it, ensuring that it stays well tended during the cold season. Then, when the warmer seasons begin again, it is taken back into the outside world and planted nearby the dwelling where it was kept. Supposedly if it grows up big and strong, the household will have good fortune. Pretty much though it is a way to get the forest to continue being replanted and therefore keep the Crafters from chopping it all sown with poor forestry practices."

"Alright." I said, leaning back against the wall opposite the fireplace and looking at her "This sounds like a good idea, and I quite like looking after saplings, Maybe this could work."

"Okay Steve." she said, clapping her hands together "I was hoping you would say that. I'll be right back." with that she darted from the room, leaving me standing there, slightly confused as to what she was doing.

"Uh, Cresilia, are you still there?" I asked, wincing as my call was responded to with a loud crash as she slammed the door behind herself, exiting into the back garden.

A few moments later, Cresilia reappeared, the door once again crashing loudly against the door frame as she entered. "Sorry, my bad." she yelled as it did so. She carried with her a small pot with a sickly looking birch sapling in it, decorated with several drooping strands of colored string speckled with lapis dust.

"What is that?' I looked at the plant in strange fascination "And why do you have it with you?"

Cresilia sighed "It's supposed to be my Hrissien, thats the name of the holiday by the way, in Creeper speak of course, tree, but I was never very good at raising the things and well I just haven't had the time to do anywhere near as much for it as I should have.

Gently, I took the potted sappling from her, runing a gentle finger across the damaged branches. "Where have you been keeping this?" I asked, slightly startled by the teltale signs of insuffcient energy that the sapling showed. "It looks like it hasn't been getting enough sun."

Cresilia flushed. "I may have forgotten about it for a bit."

"Really?" I sighed "And you wonder why it looks like that?"

"Can you fix it?" she asked hopefully "I would like to have a year where my tree doesn't die tragically and leave me once again without a chance for the so called good fortune that it promises."

"Wait, so you've never had one of these survive?" I asked staring down at the tiny tree with a new level of respect. How long had it managed to cling to life in these adverse conditions. Cresilia squirmed, looking away.

"It's not that I mean to. I'm just a lot better with living creatures than plants, thats all. So can you help it?"

"Probably." I shrugged "It shouldn't need much more than some water and sun, maybe a bit of bonemeal for fertilizer. Other than that, it's going to have to recover on its own."

"Thank you love." she said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me, carefully avoiding the potted plant and planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Aww, it's nothing." I blushed "You would do the same thing for me if I had a weird problem with killing my potted plants I'm sure."

"You wouldn't want me to help you with your potted plants." she said dryly "The would just end up worse than when you came to ask for help."

"I suppose." I said, blushing as she kissed me once more "But it's the thought that counts Cresilia."


	6. Adventure

**Story Six: Adventure**

**Summary: Before the four realms were built, Shadow and Kiriveyen had a realm where the young Herobrine and Notch liked nothing more than to go around finding excuses to cause trouble.**

**Shadow's POV**

I felt a tinge of electricity dart down my back, an early warning sign of a potential storm brewing beyond the realm's horizon. A giggle from behind me drew my attention, breaking me out of my focused thoughts.

Turning away from the plate glass window I had been looking out of, I glanced towards the source of the sound. Around the corner of the hallway, I could see the edge of a child's head peeling around, brown hair framing a face with bright blue-violet eyes.

"Hello Herobrine." I said, taking a step towards the child "What are you doing over there?"

"Uh, nothing." he said sheepishly, wide eyes darting around nervously.

"Shush Hero, I told you not to talk to anyone." another small voice said from around the corner. Stepping sideways to confirm what I suspected, I spotted a slight, blond haired child behind the first, yellow wings fluttering slightly as he notice that I was looking at him.

"So what are you two up to?" I asked, looking down at the younger lords.

"Nothing." said Notch, his yellow wings dappled with greenish patches of color as he spoke. The other child, Herobrine, looked conflicted for a moment, glancing at the ground as if to search out an honest answer that would also keep them out of trouble. He loved pranks and tricks, but his honesty often go the better of him.

Finally he said "Notch said I can't tell you. He said it would ruin all of the fun."

"Did he now." I said, gaze returning to the other child. He looked away, hands nervously twisting one edge of the large t-shirt he wore, one with a large graphic of a sun in the middle of it. "What don't you want me to know little light?"

"Uh, nothing?" he said hopefully, looking up at me with big blue eyes.

"Now, I just don't think that's true." I said, stepping over and picking up the child. Holding him securely, I began to tickle his stomach, doing my best to keep the squirming child from hitting me in the face. "So how about now?" I asked, looking down at him "Have you suddenly remembered what you were doing?"

"Tell him Brine." he gasped, trying to hold back the snickers his body was desperate to let out.

"Kiri told us to go hide for hide and seek, and Notch said that if you found out, you would tell him where we were hiding, even if we didn't want you to." The step of another person came from behind me. Slightly distracted, I turned, Notch managing to wiggle out of my grip.

"Run Hero." he gasped, laying on the floor, trying yo get his breath back "They don't have to get us both!" Nervously, Herobrine nodded, rushing around the corner presumably to go hide elsewhere.

"I see you caught one of them" said Kiriveyen dryly, glancing down at where Notch was laying on the floor.

"Yeah, well it wasn't really intentional." I said, looking over at Kiriveyen. The glow of his bright green eyes lighting up the dim hallway, he grinned, taking a few steps to glance around the corner, presumably looking for Herobrine. The young lord rarely went far from his twin, so it was likely he was hiding somewhere nearby.

"Where's Steve?" I asked, watching Kiriveyen as he scanned the next hallway for any sign of the little fire lord.

"Napping finally." he sighed, running a hand through his sand colored hair "For such a little guy, he sure can make a loud sound."

"Yeah, he's good at that." I sighed. Steve had recently started teething and it was not making him very happy.

A muffled shriek from down the hallway drew our attention, accompanied by a startled gasp from Notch. Apparently, Herobrine had run into a little bit of trouble while attempting to hide for his game of hide and seek.

"We should probably go find out where he is." said Kiriveyen uneasily, glancing down the hallway once more. "I didn't intend for this game to be dangerous, I just wanted them to be able to have a bit of fun while I was tucking in Steve."

"Well, it seems like Herobrine can always manage to find a way to make things dangerous." I sighed, reaching down to pull Notch to his feet, avoiding banging his delicate wings into anything as I did so "Come on light." I said, releasing my grip "We've got to go make sure your silly brother hasn't gotten himself hurt again."

"He does that a lot." Notch agreed, looking around nervously. I had always suspected that the two of them had some kind of bond, and this event seemed to support that. Even before Kiriveyen and I had reacted, Notch had clearly known that something had happened to his twin.

Nervously, Notch looked down the other hallway, wide eyes silently pleading for permission to go and find his twin, to help him in any way that he feasibly could.

"Go ahead." I said, ushering him forwards "You have a far better chance at finding him than either of us do without using our magic senses." Most of the time by habit, Kiriveyen and I avoided using our magic senses except as a last resort, due to the fact that it was easily detected by the Tirychen, and in the most sensitive members of the species it could cause massive headaches. There were always members of their kind searching for a way to lessen this effect so that they could actually use it to their advantage. Kiriveyen especially worked many hours on this task, because using his own magic senses often gave him a horrible headache since he was the lord of the Tirychen. The effect was actually quite amusing sometimes. Especially when Steve caused it. Being as young as he was, he often reacted like other kids did, with loud, screaming tantrums that quite often were accompanied by lashes of mental energy. Sure, it wasn't anywhere as close to the levels that Notch and Herobrine had created together when they were younger, when we had first been in our parent's realm before Kiriveyen and I made our, but that was probably a good thing. Kiri would not have done well with that level of power being thrown about at all.

Kiriveyen and I followed after Notch as he raced down the hallway, seeming to know exactly where his brother was without even having to check. At last, he stopped by a vent in the wall, the grill of which was slightly askew.

"Hero, are you okay?" he asked in concern, gently pulling aside the grate to look into the depths of the wall.

"I'm stuck." he whimpered, letting out a hiss of pain as he struggled to wiggle out.

"Here, let be try." I said, gesturing for Notch to move to the side. The young lord complied, allowing me to peer down the narrow shaft where Herobrine was stuck. And stuck he was. The other lord had somehow managed to stick himself into the vent with his head facing towards us, as if he had stuck his legs into is and shimmied backwards. Sticking my arms into the vent with the intent of pulling him out, I hissed in pain as my arms brushed up against the surprisingly hot walls of the vent. "Herobrine, have you been using your powers?" I asked, drawing my arms back and rubbing them slowly in an attempt to lessen the sharp sting.

"Not on purpose." he whimpered, closing his eyes "I was trying to get out and I got scared."

"It's alright." I soothed. Young lords often had powers that acted very sporadically, acting completely independently from any conscious decision by their owner. So when Herobrine had gotten scared, well this had happened. "Alright Herobrine." I said soothingly, trying to convey a sense of calm to the younger builder so that he would not freak out "We're going to get you out of there. Just hang on for a couple of minutes, okay?"

Flushing, he nodded, his outstreatched arms pinned painfully between the wall and his head tapped nervously, showing how anxious he was to leave the confined space.

_Have you got any ideas?_ I asked Kiriveyen nervously. All the plans that I had come up with to get him out of the ventilation had disappeared with the unexpected heat of the vents. There was no way for me to even touch it, much less drag him out.

*You mean other than cutting a big hole in the wall?* he asked dryly *No, sorry* Looking away from the vent for a moment, I considered the option. What else could we do that would get Herobrine out without potentially hurting him. A slight squawk of pain from behind me drew my attention, making me turn back towards the sound. Notch stood before the vent, or more accurately, in the vent since the top half of his body was buried in the vent. His wings had been pulled into his t0shirt, no doubt to protect them from the heat. His clothing should protect him from the majority of the damage, since having a fire lord as a brother had quickly led to fireproof garments for the both of them.

"Be careful Notch." I said, trying not to startle him. He might actually be able to calm Herobrine down enough to use his powers to help him out of the confined space, but not if he was stressed out and scared as well. We had all quickly learned that the best way to calm Herobrine down if he was all riled up was to act calm and not freak out, as that would only increase the likelihood of a fiery breakdown.

A few agonizingly long minutes later, Notch pulled himself from the wall, bringing with him a very shaky Herobrine. The blond lord had not escaped unscathed from his brother's blistering powers. Several long burns ran along his arms and something resembling a sunburn had appeared across his face.

"I'm alright." he said, trying to conceal the pain that I could tell he was experiencing.

"Come here light." I said, carefully picking the injured lord up around the waist. He wrapped his legs around my waist, slowly pushing his wings out through the slits in the back of his shirt. "Let's go get you cleaned up. That was very brave of you."

*It hurt.* he whimpered, clearly starting to feel the pain through the adrenaline produced by his brother's plight.

"I know." I murmured, running my hand gently through his hair "But Herobrine will feel much better now that he's not stuck in the wall."

"I'm sorry Notch." sniffed Herobrine, laying a hand gently against his brother's wing "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's alright." he said, trying to maintain a brave expression.

"Kiri, why don't you go and take Herobrine to do something." I suggested lightly "I'll take Notch to clean up and change, then join you. How's that?"

"Alright." said Kiriveyen "Come on Herobrine, you can pick what we're going to so." The little lord nodded, trailing after Kiriveyen as he walked away, taking one last look back at us before going forwards down the hallway.


	7. Storm

**Story Seven: Storm**

**Summary: Notch and Herobrine experience their first real snowstorm in Shadow and Kiriveyen's old realm.**

**Note: this happens before Shadow's Story, so Shadow does not have his Enderlord form.**

**Shadow's POV**

"Shadow, why is it getting so dark outside?" asked Notch, looking at me with wide eyes from where he was sitting at a small workstation. He had been working on making a few models, little kits that the Tirychen sold that had all the pieces premade and only needed to be assembled.

"What do you mean little light." I asked, glancing up from my book. I had noticed that the light in the room had been dimming, but I hadn't though much of it. After all, when I got absorbed in a good book it could be hours before I stopped reading or was truly aware of what was happening around me.

"The clouds are coming." he said, pointing towards where a wall of dark clouds was approaching, the first band of which had already reached the sky overhead, bathing the area in a twilight like haze even though it was just after noon.

"It's just a storm Notch." I said, standing and walking over to stand next to the younger lord, patting his shoulder gently in reassurance. "You've seen storms before."

"Yes, but they didn't look like that." he said, directing an outstretched hand towards the clouds. A shiver of electricity raced down my spine, reacting to the intense weather approaching. The rapidly growing clouds were a bit worrying, possibly the approach of the huge storm I had been sensing for several days.

"Alright light, I will go check out the storm. Go and have Kiri check your burns and I will be right back." The injuries Notch had gotten when his brother was stuck in a wall vent were still relatively fresh, although his light powers made him heal at a rate much faster than most others. Following him from the room, we quickly went our separate ways.

I headed up to my lab, intent on checking the weather radar spells I had set up there. My magical instincts were usually pretty good at picking up on storms and the like, but there was always the chance I could be mistaken and I always liked to be sure that nothing unexpected was suddenly coming our way. And besides, it kind of came with the territory. Kiriveyen, as lord of the Tirychen, was in charge of the plants and creatures of the realm, while I, as lord of what we guessed was either weather or night since my powers seemed to be strongest when it was dark, regardless of the reason why, had jurisdiction over all of the weather and geology of the realm. This meant that more often than not, I ended up on natural disaster watch, keeping an eye out with my senses and spells for anything that might cause an excess of damage.

"Now, let's get this done quick, and then we can go back to do something more interesting." I murmured, shoving open the door of the lab. Immediately the sound of several wailing alarms met my ears, making me clamp my hands over my ears from the sheer, unexpected onslaught of the sound. Staggering into the lab, I quickly smashed a hand across the off button, sending a pulse of magic through the various spells designed to track weather, temporarily deactivating their alert function. Silently cursing myself for leaving my spell tablet in here, therefore making my early warning system useless, I grabbed the thing off of a low table, slipping it into my belt so that I would not have a repeat of this. Then I stepped towards my monitor station, reading the runes that appeared on the surface.

_Uh, Kiri._ I sent softly, not wanting to overpower the other lord's senses.

*What Shadow?*he asked, confusion accompanying his sending. He was very easily overpowered by sendings, even weaker ones, so we tried to avoid using them unless absolutely necessary. But even then, there were exceptions.

_It looks like there is a big storm coming, and well, lets just sat that I should have known about it before. I'm going to grab some stuff and secure some of the outside locations. Can you alert the Tirychen and make sure that Notch, Herobrine and Steve are somewhere safe?_

*Of course.* he sent *Be safe.* Grabbing a box of secure spells and tarps, I darted out of the lab, rushing to the nearest door to the outside. Most of the outside of the small fortress we lived in was already secure, a precaution against the frequent disasters, but there were a few ritual spells that simply did not work unless there was clear sky above them, and it was these that I was setting out to cover and protect.

"Just a bit longer." I murmured, glancing up at the dark, incoming clouds. A rush of cold wind blasted over me, rapidly dropping the already low temperature even closer to freezing. "That's all I need. Then you can snow all you like."

**Herobrine's POV**

"Kiri, I'm scared." murmured Notch, wrapping his wings forwards around his arms. "The clouds are coming and I'm afraid of the dark."

"Alright Notch, if you're scared you can take Steve down into the basement shelter." I shivered at the mention of the underground area. It had kept us safe from numerous horrible disasters. But after bring humiliated by being stuck in a narrow air vent, I wasn't exactly looking forwards to being in a small space again, even if it was nicely protected and full of supplied.

"But I'm not allowed to hold Steve." said Notch, eyes wide. "Shadow says I might hurt him, and I don't want to do that."

"Right, I had forgotten about that." said Kiriveyen "Well, then I guess we can all go down there. Shadow told me that there is a big snowstorm coming, and we don't know what kind of damage there might be. You two have never seen a big snowstorm have you?"

I glanced at Notch, his eyes mirroring the nervousness that I was feeling. "No." I said at last "We've seen snow before, but not a lot."

"Well, a big snowstorm is just like a small one, except that there is a lot more snow and sometimes it has really fast wind too. If you remember, we had to stay in the shelter with special water proofing during the hurricane, and all the trees were bent over when we looked at the camera displays, its going to be like that except with snow." Notch's eyes widened and he flinched back, frightened by what Kiriveyen was describing. Stepping close to Notch, I placed a hand on his shoulder, silently asking for permission to get closer, then when it was silently given I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close.

*I don't like hurricanes.* he sent, snuggling back up against me. His fear wasn't exactly unexpected. He had almost gotten caught in the last hurricane that swept through, having been working on his flying when it hit. He was not a strong flier at the time, indeed he still was not now, but the strong gusts of wind and flying debris had made it difficult for him to make any attempt to get to shelter. Shadow had finally found him after almost four hours of searching, huddled beneath a thin scrap of tarp in the corner of one of the fortress walls. Needless to say, he had been leery of going outside when there was even a hint of wind after that, fearful that the same thing would happen again.

_I will keep you safe from the water._ I promised, holding him closer _I will keep us so warm that it can never reach us._

"Alright you two." Kiriveyen said, grinning down at us "Make sure your stuff is put away where it will be safe if debris goes through a window and lets snow in, then go down to the shelter. I'm going to go get Steve from his nursery and I will meet you there."

"What about Shadow?" I asked, keeping my arms tight around Notch, doing my best to keep him calm with my presence.

"Yeah." murmured Notch softly, running a hand along one of his wings "Is he safe?"

"Don't worry light, he just went to cover a few things. He should be down there soon as well." Notch nodded reluctantly, and I led him towards the shelter, trying to to unbalance him as I moved.

Finally, we reached the shelter, opening the sealed door and entering the room. Leaving Notch shivering on a couch by the doorway, I went and slid a hand palm outwards through the sensor spot on the purifying spells that kept the room sealed while still allowing the air to cycle.

"I want the others here." whimpered Notch, pulling a blanket off of the back of the couch and pulling it over his shoulders.

"Don't worry, they're coming." I assured him. And true to their words, both Kiriveyen and Shadow arrived a few moments later, the first carrying Steve, who was still asleep, and the second carrying a large basket.

"Hello you two." he said, lifting the lid on the basket "I brought you guys a treat for being so good." Notch jerked awake as he spoke, having drifted off in the time since we had arrived.

"Shadow, you're okay." he sighed, pulling the blanket tightly around his shoulders.

"Yes, and I have treats." he said, pulling out several small, chocolate cakes "Enjoy them." he handed each of us one of the cakes before turning on a side monitor that showed the display of several cameras scattered throughout the fortress, showing the damage that the storm was doing now, even before it fully arrived.

"I'm glad we're safe in here." I sighed, munching on the cake.

"Me too." said Notch, eyes open wide as he gazed at the sudden downfall of snow that was rapidly falling down onto the fortress. Gusts of wind slammed trees every which way and blew debris across the slippery surface that was quickly being created by the falling snow.

"Yes, I'm glad we're in here as well." sighed Shadow, sitting down "I feel much better when I know that all of you are safe."


	8. Home

**Story eight: Home**

** Summary: Izra used to be a kid no one cared about. How could anyone care if they left him to be killed by mobs. But a kindly Creeper takes him into its home, recognizing him as someone who could be their kind's next lord. But all children need to leave home at some point.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the right to Minecraft or Shadow of Israphel.**

One star filled summer night in the Overworld, something strange was happening near the border of a small town, where it met the dark depths of the forest. A dark shape slipped through the alleyways, carrying with it a small bundle wrapped in the same dark material that the quickly moving figure was.

Stopping abruptly, the figure glanced from side to side, taking in the very edge of the buildings and the narrow ditch that seemed to exist solely to provide a definite boarder between the two extremes of town and wilderness. Then, the figure stooped, placing the bundle gently in the ditch, carefully arranging the blanket to keep the contents of the bundle covered.

"Be safe my love." the figure said softly "Though I know it is wrong to leave you, there is no way that I can keep you. Those who live around here, they would know what you are even before you did. And they do not take kindly to those who are different. Perhaps it would be better if the mobs were to find you, to end your pain in a way I could never do myself. May the lords shine favorably on you and make your fate what they wish." With that, the figure slipped away, leaving the bundle laying alone in the ditch.

A light breeze began, the stronger gusts catching on a loose edge of the cloth and pulling it aside, revealing the contents of the strange bundle. A young child lay within, lightly asleep from the movement of the figure. But with the blanket removed, the breeze was free to play with the fine hair that sprung from beneath the blanket, poking out to frame the child's slightly pudgy face. The child's eyes blinked open sleepily, gradually becoming more aware as the chill crept in. The child's face wrinkled, fat tears beginning to slide down the soft surface of their face. A keening wail soon pierced the air, the child responding to the change in the only way they knew how. It fell on deaf ears in the Crafter settlement, the wind snatching the cry from the ears of the few who might have heard and sleep ridding the others of any chance. In the forest though, the cry did not go unnoticed. Zombies and skeletons mobilized with glee, anticipating the easy prey that would be awaiting them. Spiders skittered over the trees, trying to reach the location before the intently moving zombies. Endermen watched passively, content to allow things to work out on their own. But much closer than any of the other mobs, a lone Creeper crept out from behind a low bush, walking slowly towards where the child lay crying.

Stooping, the Creeper peered at the child, starting slightly as the child's sobs lessened, eyes wide as it stared at the creature before it. Looking from side to side, the Creeper tried to judge if there were any Crafters around. Perhaps the child had been left by mistake and a sword wielding Crafter would emerge from the dim alleyway to rescue the child. But none did, and the Creeper had to accept that this child had been abandoned. Prodding the child curiously with one of its front limbs, the Creeper moved closer, glancing around as the sound of the other mobs approached. Knowing that this was its only chance to claim the child, the Creeper bent down, grabbing the blanket in its teeth and lifting gently, trying to stay balanced with the extra weight pulling it forward. Then it crept away, making for its lair as fast as its little legs would carry it. With any luck, no other creatures would cause any harm to the child. Something about the child had drawn the Creeper to it. A link beyond being in the same place at the same time. Something in the Creeper told it that this child was important to the Creeperkind, that saving them could change the fate of the realm.

**Shriio's POV**

"Hey Shriio, look at this!" called Izra, racing towards me on unsteady legs, tripping over fallen branches and stones that did noting to curb his enthusiasm. Rescuing the child that night all those years ago, that had turned out to be one of the best things I had ever done in my life. The boy who had grown from that baby was sweet, kind and curious. His only flaw was an intense fear of Crafters, a strong contrast to his almost obsessive desire to learn about them. A desire that was not easy to sate considering that I was a Creeper with little knowledge of the intricacies of Crafter life.

"What have you found?" I asked, looking towards the rapidly approaching child.

"I don't know what it is." he shouted, leaping over the last few obstacle between us. "Take a look." he displayed a rough wooden object. The narrow shape of it made it immediately apparent what it was, even with the damage from use.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, running one foot along the splintery blade.

"By the big field where all the Crafters march." he said "Some of the little ones were watching and playing ad they left it behind."

"It's called a wooden sword." I said, pushing it back towards him. "This one is rounded so that it doesn't hurt the little Crafters, but it's a replica of what they use to hunt mobs."

Izra jerked back away from it nervously, staring down at the object. "Would they hunt you?" he asked.

"If I was to go near their town, yes. But that is why I stay away from their dwellings."

"They're evil then." he cried, kicking the blade aside and snuggled next to me, arms drawn up around his knees. They young Crafter's body reached less than halfway up mine in this position, about the same as a little Creeper would have at the age Izra was at now. As a child of eight years, he was pretty much at the age when Creeper young would leave to live on their own. But Crafters were not like that. They stayed with their parents until they were much older to learn the skills that they would need to survive and prosper. Skills that I could not give to the child.

"Sleep child." I said, directing him towards the small cave where we sheltered "I have something to speak to you about in the morning. But until then, rest easy."

"Alright." he murmured, complying and crawling into the cave, minding the low ceiling.

**The next day**

"Izra, wake up, I want to talk to you" I called softly.

"What Shriio?" he asked, blinking awake.

"You know that you are not one of the Creeperkind, that I found you as a child. Well there are some things that I cannot teach you, and as it is customary for young Creepers to leave home when they are about your age. So I believe that you should travel to the Crafter settlement to learn their ways so that you can live on your own within their society."

"But I don't want to!" he cried, wrapping his arms tightly around my front legs and staring up with a pleading expression "I want to stay here with you, not go to the village with people I do not know who I have no love for."

"You may not like it, but it is what you shall do. Find your things, and I shall see you foo before the sun reaches the top of the sky, so that you may reach the town and find dwelling before dark."

"Alright." he grumbled, looking downwards "If you wish to be rid of me, well I guess there's nothing I can do to stop you."

"I do not wish to be rid of you, merely to let you grow." The child squirmed away, irritatedly picking up his things and making a racket. By the afternoon, we were standing at the edge of the village, waiting to say our goodbyes.

"Be safe Izra." I murmured, finishing my farewell as he walked towards the town.

**XxxXxXx**

Izra slipped off, the tattered remnants of the blanket he had been found in wrapped over his shoulders, dark leaves clumsily stitched together with scraps of Crafter garments that he had found. A small collection of Crafter children quickly intercepted him, pointing with curious fingers at his strange attire. One ran up to him, jabbering something to him in Crafter speak. Izra looked at them blankly, not understanding their words. Another spoke with the same result, followed by a laugh from the crowd. Scared of what he could not understand, Izra fled, running as fast as he could from the children. His blind flight took him straight into a female figure walking along the town border, throwing them both to the ground.

"Oh, hello." she said "I didn't see you there. I'm sorry I ran into you." Izra, still dazed from his fall, let out an apologetic hiss. The women froze, righting herself "Do you speak Creeper?" she asked.

Izra looked frightened, scooting away. The women bit her lip, looking around before hissing in Crafter speak "Can you understand me?" Izra's face lit up and he nodded, delighted that this women could speak a language he understood. "And you don't speak Crafterspeak." she said "That is unfortunate. Well here." she pulled a pad from her pocket and wrote something down "If you ask someone _where can I find this?_ and show them the paper we can meet up. Then I will help you to learn Crafterspeak."

"Who are you?" Izra asked hesitantly, sitting up and arranging his blanket cloak.

"Oh, right." she said "My name's Cresilia. I hope to see you soon." she helped him to his feet, brushing the dirt from his cloths. "Be safe." she said, waving him off. "I hope to see you another day. I should be at that location for the next couple days and maybe past that." With that, they went their separate ways.


	9. Family

**Story Nine: Family**

** Summary: It can be hard to adapt to a new group of people, and even harder when the ones you love have been torn from you and you are just expected to move in with people who dare to take their place. Jeb finds this out when his family is torn apart by the Valkyrie hunt for Starlords.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Minecraft. **

**Jeb's POV**

You know a day's not going to go very well when it starts with you being woken up before the sun rises and it's not your birthday or some other present filled holiday.

"Jeb, get up!" my father shouted, pulling the door open and alloing the bright light of his wings to spill into the room.

"What is it?" I murmured, trying to pull the blanket over my head to block the light and only succeeding in making my feet cold. "It's still really early and I'm sleepy.

"This is not the time to ask questions young man!" he hissed, flashes of red and lavender crossing his wings. "You will get up out of bed now and come with me." Worried now since it was very rare for my father to raise his voice, I complied, eyes wide as my they adjusted to the change in lighting and I could better see my father. He looked frightened, a sight that I had never expected to see.

"What's going on?" I asked, pulling the blanket off and standing, slightly unstable because of my tiredness.

"I said no questions!" he said, grabbing my arm and shoving me out the door and down the hallway. "Now go to your mother and get somewhere safe. There is something that I have to do." I nodded in confusion, wondering what was wrong but not daring to ask my father what it was. After all, if he had reacted like this to it, it had to be pretty urgent. Carefully making my way down the stairs in the darkness, I silently cursed my lack of wings. The soft light they provided would have been quite a comfort in the complete darkness of the room.

"Mom?" I called softly, trying to avoid tripping over any furniture "Father said that I should come and find you." Above me, on the floor I had just left, I heard voices They had been intended to not be overheard, but the silence of the house transmitted even the faintest of sounds quite well.

"We are sorry that we have brought danger on your household." a soft female voice said "We did not know the true ferocity with which the Valkyrie searched for our kind. We would not think any less of you if you were to protect your family and deliver us to them."

"No, we shall stand firm against the Valkyrie." my father insisted "I shall not betray any of your kind and destroy my morals. I would never be able to live with that."

"Very well." the woman sighed "I shall apologies now for whatever happens as a result of us."

"There you are Jeb." my mother exclaimed, coming through the kitchen with a mix of colors darting every which way across her wings.

"Mom, what's going on?" I asked, eyes wide.

"Hush Jeb." she said, putting a finger to my lips. "We much stay quiet. The Valkyrie are coming and they must not find us."

"But why? I thought the Valkyrie were supposed to be on our side."

"Well Jeb, the Valkyrie are not bad. It's just that the things they have been commanded to do conflict with the morals of many. So while we feel that it is necessary to protect those who are hunted, we do so at our own peril. And tonight we have been warned that the Valkyrie are coming for us, at midnight in fact, to seek out the Starlords that they believe we and the others are hiding from their kind."

The femalw who had been speaking before, at least I presumed that was who it was, came down the staris. Sky blue wings with gold highlights shed a soft glow across the room, and in her arms she held a young child, eyes wide open in fright at the whole thing.

"We will leave now." she said, drawing the blanket she held close around the child and stepping towards the doorway. "If we do, the Valkyrie should not find us."

"Be safe." my father said. A sound of rapid flapping, the sound of feather on feather accompanied by the clank of metal forewarned the Valkyrie's approach.

"We were told they were not coming until midnight." my mother hissed, peering out the window.

"Hide you two." hissed my father to the Starlords. The woman nodded, squeezing herself under a narrow shelf in the open closet my father presented.

"You too Jeb." my mother whisepred, gesturing for me to get down. Silently I complied, wide eyed as I hid in a dark corner between several book cases, peering out between a gap in the books. Placing a basket and bowl over my hiding place to make it resemble a small table, my mother straightened, stepping towards my father and saying "Let them in. We don't want to make them suspicios."

"Of course." my father pulled open the door, looking properly surprised at the Valkyrie standing in the doorway.

"Hello." he said "Is there something we can help you with?"

"Yes." said the lead Valkyrie, a gruff sounding male that I could not quite see from my current position. "We heard that you might know of the location of several Starlords who have so far managed to elude us. Is this true?"

My father feigned ignorance "I am not sure what you mean. The only Starlords I have seen are those in your pamphlets. None of them have been here."

"Is that so?" the Valkyrie called "Then allow us to search your dwelling. Surely if you have nothing to hide, that should not be a problem."

"Of course." he said, stepping aside "Be my guest." Things seemed to be going well at first. The Valkyrie scoured the house, pausing to converse only when they stumbled upon my things. My mother hastily explained away my absence as me being at a friend's house, which seemed to persuade them. Finally though, they reached the closet where the Starlords were hidden.

"I thought you said you had never seen any Starlords." the Valkyrie hissed, pulling the women from her hiding place.

"I lied." he snapped, drawing a blade and twisting the woman from the Valkyrie's grip.

"Get them!" the head Valkyrie snapped "The man too. He has chosen his side." The other Valkyrie advanced, heading for them. The Starlord placed a hand on the forehead of the child she carried, murmuring some last farewell before making them disappear, presumably to a safer location.

The fight between the Valkyrie and the two lords was very one sided, the two of them quickly falling before the swinging blades of the angle like creatures. My mother stood there, watching in horror as this unfolded.

"That's done." said the lead Valkyrie "Grab the woman and bring her with us." Not wanting to resist and possibly endanger my hiding place, my mother mouthed "I love you, be safe." As they left, I pushed the top from my hiding place, racing towards where my father and the female Starlord lay on the floor as a widening pool of blood seeped out from around them.

"Why." I murmured, tears beginning to pour down my face "Why did this happen?" Shakily, I drew on the traces of magic I could feel within me, struggling to force it to heal my father. But I felt nothing. The Valkyrie were too effective to have left a trace of life in either lord.

A loud knock sounded on the door, followed by a splintering as it was kicked down. A pink and gold winged lord stood in the doorway, breathing hard.

"We've got to leave." he panted. I shook my head, not wanting to leave my father. Maybe if I tried just a bit harder... "Jeb, we've got to get out of here. The building's on fire." When I didn't repond, the man, Taylan if I remembered correctly, one of my father's friends, picked me up around the waist, slinging me over his shoulder and dragging me out of the building. From outside, it was clear that the building was burning. My life, burning, never going to be the same again. "Are you alright?" asked Taylan, putting me down.

"I don't know." I murmured, eyes struggling to focus on him.

"Come on." he murmured, picking me up and extending his wings, flying off towards another island. We landed with a jolt several minutes later, in front of a temple like house made of stone bricks and decorated with gem blocks. "Come on, lets get you cleaned up." he murmured, carrying me into the house. Almost immediately a women in purple robes swept me up, holding me close.

"Oh, you poor dear." she crooned "How awful this whole thing must be for you."

"Get away from me!" I shrieked, pulling myself away from her arms and dashing away, heading for the doorway "You can never replace my mother, you are nothing like her!" tears springing to my eyes, I sobbed "You can't replace my family" Then I trudged out the door, trying to pull myself together.

A few moments later, Taylan appeared in the doorway, eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of me. When he spotted me at last, sitting beneath a small golden apple tree in front of the building, he approached slowly, stopping well away from me.

"You alright?" he asked, looking me over. "Millie didn't intend to make it seem like she was trying to replace your family. That's just how she it."

"I know." I murmured sulkily "It's just that this was all so unexpected and now one of my parents is dead and one is captured. I don't have anything left."

"I know it's tough." murmured Taylan, drawing slightly closer "But you can stay with us as long as you like, if that's all right with you of course. Then, when you feel like you have settled enough, you can go out and find your own way. How does that sound?"

"I guess it sound okay." I murmured, wiping away some tears that clung to my face.

"I'm glad." said Taylan "Oh, and Jeb?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry about what happened to your family. I should have gotten there sooner. Maybe I would have been able to help."

"No." I said with certainty "You wouldn't have made a difference. If another person would have changed things, my mother would have stepped in."


	10. Game

**Story Ten: Game**

** Summary: It's hard having a science nerd for an older brother. But Miritayen is determined to get Sallen to do something fun, even if it means enlisting the help of his two best friends.**

**Miritayen's POV**

"But why Sallen, why won't you do anything with me?" I pleaded, flopping down before him on his work station in an effort to catch his eye.

"Will you quit it Mir." he grumbled, attempting to reorder his papers since my sudden movement had disturbed them.

"Not until you give me a good answer." I wheedled, displaying my best innocent expression. "Come on Sallen, all you do now is paper work. Have some fun while your still a kid like me."

"Miritayen, for stars sake shut up!" snapped Sallen, smacking his hand down on the tabletop "Can't you see that I'm trying to do something important!"

"Playing with me 's not important?" I asked, tears springing to my eyes.

"Oh, Mir, I didn't mean it like that." said Sallen, rising and reaching towards me.

"But you still said it!" I cried dramatically, resting my forehead on the table before me.

"Really Mir? I'm your brother. I can tell when you are faking something like that." he said in amusement, putting a finger beneath my chin to raise my gaze to meet his. "Now, I am busy right now you know. Father and mother are teaching me the ways of the household, and they shall be mad if I do not finish this by week's end. So go and have some fun with your friends while you can, alright?"

"Fine." I grumbled, standing and flicking my wings in annoyance, enjoying the way the light shimmered across the magenta feathers. "If you want to spend all your time doing paperwork, who am I to stop you. But you best not complain to me some day that I never encouraged you to take a break and have fun."

With a grunt of acknowledgment Sallen turned away, flicking his wigs as he straightened his papers and flicked away a stray strand of hair that had fallen into his eyes.

"Well, if Sallen doesn't want to play." I murmured, walking away "Then I will have to make it so that he doesn't know he's playing until it is too late too stop. And I know of the perfect ones to help me with it." With that, I left the room where Sallen was studying. My pale magenta tunic caught a strange shadow on it as I walked, a scattering of light beams that did not follow the pattern they should have. Tracing the pattern upwards, my eyes caught sight of a figure positioned in the cross braces of the ceiling, dark wings that faded to a lighter hue blending with the natural shading of the building.

_I see you Zer._ I sent in amusement _You may hide from others, but not from me._

*My light, I could never hide from you.* Zeren sent back, glee tinging his sending *You have a game for us though, I can tell.*

*Yes, yes we want to hear your game.* sent Illusion, his dark shape slithering from a shallow alcove, purple and black wings sending a myriad of colors across the floor as his tail swished behind him, the feathers on the tip making hissing noises as they scraped against the wall. The two of them made their way down from the rafters, short controlled glides from Zeren and a series of flaps from Illusion, who was slightly better at flying than either of us, his tail allowing for far better balance.

"So what is this game my light." asked Zeren, one wing extended to lace with mine.

"Yes, do tell." said Illusion "We should get on with it before you two decide to do something that others might not approve of."

"Eh, what could they do about it anyway?" shrugged Zeren. We

"Anyway." I said, rolling my eyes "There is a game we must prepare, and it is intended for my brother."  
>"What has Sallen done to you that makes you wish a game upon him?" asked Illusion "I thought your brother was your favorite among your family."<p>

"No, not that kind of game." I hissed "I would never wish that kind of game on any but an enemy. The power we share should not be used save in the most drastic of circumstances. Do you not remember when we first used that power? The destruction we caused? No, if things go as they should, we shall never have need to use such power again."

"What sort of game do you suggest then?" asked Illusion "We have made no other sort together as of late that can be played by more than three. We have had no need."

"Well, Sallen will not willingly play our games." said Zeren, striding down the corridor and gesturing for us to follow. "I have heard him speak of us, He thinks our pastimes are silly, a waste of time he could spend training to take over from his parents He does not know of our games nature, how they teach us even while we play."

"So we have to trick him." I said, a smile playing across my lips. "Find a game that can hide until he is ensnared, then capture him within its fun."

"Well, your brother likes science, right?" said Illusion, absentmindedly twisting on of his tail feathers between his fingers "And it is the season of snow. Ask him to come with you to collect information on the way it collects and where, to provide evidence to compare to future years. It can be used for defense by the causing of avalanches and also protect those who are innocent from harm done by those snow slides. Then he shall be within the snare of the game."

"Let us not delay then." said Zeren "Gather the supplies, and we can cast the proper spells to make it so."

"Agreed." I said "We shall meed once more in three hours. That should give Illusion enough time to get home and get his things."

*I shall see you then.* sent Illusion, teleporting off. Zeren and I parted, each going to retrieve our supplies for the spell.

When the three hours had passed, we reunited in my room. Most of the proper circles were already in place, left over from the last time we had played. Carefully removing the rug from over them so as to avoid smudging the symbols, I sketched the few changes necessary for a fourth player. Zeren completed the circle while Illusion laid out the necessary reagents for our chosen game. He was better at writing the games so things went as planned, so he had been given that task. While we wanted Sallen to play, we did not want to put him in danger.

"Ready?" I asked, finishing the last sigil. The others nodded, retreating to the edge of the circle. "Let's do this then." a haze of magic covered the circle, the different colors spreading to coat the room. With a flash of light the scene around us shifted, becoming a strange, similar version that didn't quite match. Hopefully, the differences were small enough that Sallen would not notice them though. "Alright, I'll go get him." I said "You two go to the forts."

"Okay." they agreed, stepping from the room. Following them for a ways, I soon went a different way, traveling to where Sallen was studying, or at least where that was located in this game. When I got there, Sallen was looking at his papers in concern, comparing several different sheets. I bit my lip. I had to do this right, otherwise he might find out too soon and the game would not be able to maintain its hold on him.

"Now, this can't be right." he murmured, comparing several details.

"Hi Sallen," I said, resting my hands on his work table "Are you still busy right now?"

"Yes, although I was going to take a break soon. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if you had taken any data on the snow." I said, shrugging "Illusion suggested it, and at least to me it seemed like a good idea." Sallen hesitated, eyes thoughtful.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt." he murmured "Alright, I will."

"I'll come with you then." I said "I'm curious as to how that would work." I followed Sallen from the room, pausing in irritation as he stopped to pick up some lab equipment that Illusion had thought to provide, making sure that Sallen would not suspect anything.

"Let's see, where would the best place to do this be?" murmured Sallen, leaving the building and scanning the area. His eyes narrowed as he saw an unfamiliar scene, for the section of the estate where we had been was transposed on a plain, snowy landscape since Illusion had not bothered to recreate the actual scene. "What is the meaning of this?" he hissed "Have you done something with the intent of trapping me."

"No silly." I said, rolling my eyes "Why would I do that? The goal of this is to get you to play."

"Now, that's not going to happen." he snorted "I have to get back to my studies."

"Well, here's the thing." I said "You can't leave the game until its goal is fulfilled."

"You mean you've trapped me within one of your games?" he asked, something resembling fury crossing his face.

"Oy, Sallen, back off my light." someone called from behind. A snowball smacked into the back of Sallen's head, sending him reeling. Zeren stood behind him on a low rise, Illusion a short way behind.

"So you want out of this game do you? Well, then you'll have to get through us."

"Is that really all I have to do?" asked Sallen incredulously.

"Oh, don't think it will be that easy." said Illusion "For it is our game as well." Rolling his eyes, Sallen flicked his wings open, leaping forwards onto the two of them. The two of them blocked drawing ice game-blades to fling him back.

"Naughty, naughty, you need to play right." snickered Zeren.

"You two have until nightfall to get the crystal from our snow fortress." said Illusion, sheathing his game-blade. "Else you have to do the forfeit. Mir knows it if you do not succeed." With that, the two of them disappeared, heading towards the ice fortress.

"Perhaps your games are not as useless as I thought." Sallen murmured "Although I am not sure that the use they have is all that good."

"Eh, we like them all the same." I shrugged, leading him off.


	11. Fireworks

**Story Eleven: Fireworks**

**Summary: Why Crafters thought it was a good idea to light off fireworks in the middle of winter was anyone's guess, but whatever the reason, it sure was a good excuse to spend time with Flare. This is what happened between them while _Reunion_ was taking place.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Minecraft**

**Ender's POV**

"Come on Flare, we're going to be late!" I shouted, looking for any traces of the other lord. He had managed to disappear again, right when we we were preparing to leave, presenting me with the awkward opportunity of having time to spend with someone I cared about when they were nowhere to be found.

Finally, I found him, lounging absentmindedly in one of the numerous couches that were scattered throughout Steve's castle. I had spent quite a lot of time setting this up, planning every detail, and I did not want to mess up the whole thing by being late.

"You ready?" I asked hopefully, very grateful that Mist was not with me to make snide comments about Flare. As much as we were friends, she could really get on my nerves when it came to Flare.

"Yeah, I'm ready." he said, looking up. "Is it time to leave?"

"Yes, I've been looking for you." I said, trying to control my slight irritation and keep it from entering my tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry." he murmured, eyes downcast "I must have lost track of time."

"It's alright." I said, laying an arm across his shoulders. We were in Crafter form right now in preparation to go to the Crafter village, and it felt slightly strange to comfort him with an outstretched arm rather than a wing or tail. I didn't know how the Crafters did it all the time, dealing with so few limbs.

"Let's go then." I said, leading him towards the entrance.

"Have fun you two." called Shadow, looking up from where he sat reading his potion book. "And Flare, you better bring her back safe. Otherwise, you might as well not come back at all."

"Alright." he said, looking slightly nervous.

"Shadow, don't scare him like that." I scolded, poking his aura in annoyance.

"Alright, just be careful. The Crafters don't like anyone different than them very much."

"You worry too much." I laughed. Shadow always worried about me so much, just like he had when I was a kid in the End. "But you know I will be careful." I sent him a sliver of the giddy joy I felt at finally getting this sorted out, and he returned it with a pleased, sad sending. I knew what he was feeling, though I was sure he did not know that. Mist and I had figured it out through combined interactions with Shadow and Illusion, identifying the feeling as a desire to see those they watched over grow, but at the same time fearing what might happen to them, that they might loose the one they had tried so hard to keep safe.

With a skip in my step I led Flare outside. "So where are we going?" Flare asked, interlacing his hand with mine "You've kept it secret very well, but I need to know now."  
>"I could just keep it from you a bit longer." I murmured, pulling him closer. Even in a Crafter form, Flare still carried the high body temperature of the Nether lords, a trait that all lords with power over fire shared regardless of their race. And the extra heat was welcome in the chill of the approaching Overworld winter. "But I won't do that." I said, smiling up at him. For some reason that neither of us could figure out, even though I was taller in my true form, in Crafter form he was a good inch tall than me. "I have managed to get us into the Crafter fireworks celebration that for some reason they decided to move into the winter rather than having it in the summer like any sane creature. But luckily for us, Crafters are rarely sane, so we have to opportunity to attend now when we otherwise would have been running from half the people around us."<p>

"Yay!" said Flare, eyes lighting up. Most Nether lords had an extreme liking for fireworks, presumably because of the fire in them. I knew that Herobrine had a thing for them in particular. They seemed to be one of the few things that would reliably calm him down, the sight captivating him enough to forget whatever destructive thoughts had come before.

"Yeah, I thought you would like it." I said, squeezing his hand "Now, lets hurry. It would be very sad if we were to miss it." More quickly now we traveled towards the village, finally reaching it when the bottom of the sun had just begun to touch the horizon, sending the first bright rays of sunset darting across the buildings. We entered the village cautiously, trying our best to keep a low profile. While we may have looked like Crafters, we were still clearly outsiders, and while they did not resent foreign Crafters as much as the other kinds, they still were often looked upon with distrust by members of the community. This village was not the closest one to Steve's castle, a precaution I had taken for I thought it was worth the extra travel time to improve our safety. Even so, someone might have seen something that led them to know of us, and if they did that...

"Ender, you need to stop worrying." said Flare softly, carefully looking around for any observers. My emotions had been overflowing, spilling into the link that was gradually growing between us as we became closer, our lives connecting at more common points. "You're going to enjoy this too." he murmured, rubbing a finger soothingly against my hand. The sensation helped to ground me, to center my thoughts and focus. This was supposed to be fun. My intense worrying would get us nowhere. And if we were to be discovered at some time later in the evening, then so what? There was nothing I could so to stop it as of now.

We managed to locate the field where the fireworks were to be held after an hour or so of searching, directional arrows posted on the sides of buildings and a few carefully gleaned directions sending us in circles before finally getting to our destination. It was almost a kind of initiation I noted as several other couples from other villages completed the same route, a dazed look in their eyes but also wonder, having seen the organization of the town, how it worked together to do this.

"This is all very strange." murmured Flare softly, glancing down at the field where many Crafters, families, couples, friends and the occasional individual. "Sure, fireworks are nice but I've never seen this much of a fuss put on about them. And I live with fire lords most of the time who delight in blowing things to bits."

"Yes, but you also have armies of creatures who produce or can easily obtain the materials that are needed to make the fireworks. Here, they've got to do everything on their own. Also, if you have not forgotten, Crafters are not fireproof and neither are their buildings, so if any little thing goes wrond, it could mean big trouble for them.

"True." he murmured thoughtfully, eyes trained skyward as the last traces of the sun dipped beneath the tree line, bathing the landscape in a dim, purplish twilight. Many of the Crafters brought out small redstone lamps and torches, placing them carefully around their sitting areas to provide light but not so much that it would distract from the fireworks. The shrieked laughter of several Crafter children carried to us as we settled to the ground in a spot on the outskirts of the Crafter crowd, the children chased by an adult, who once finally cornering them ushered them back to their proper place to watch the light show.

"Do you ever wonder?" I murmured, leaning back against Flare's shoulder to gaze up at the star filled sky. A sliver of moon was rising now, the light sending pale silver tendrils across the treetops along the horizon. "What things would have been like if we had been born into this rather than as lords who would become the heirs of realms" As I spoke I gestured out at the gathering of Crafters.

"Sometimes." he sighed "But then I wonder, is their life really so much better? Or can you compare them at all? We've been born as who we are, and I could not make a decision about what I would want to change myself to without changing the circumstances that made me wish for such a thing."

"I suppose you are right." I sighed, relishing in the warm touch of his shoulder against my back.

"But Ender, I would not change anything right now." he murmured, shifting me so that he could drape his arm across my shoulder, holding me closer. "Save for that, I wish we could do this as our true selves, without fear of being hunted. The day the Overworld is safe for all to tread will surely be a great one."

"It may never come." I sighed

"But we shall not stop seeking it." he replied "After all, what else have we to live for but to change what we can, to make our mark upon the worlds so that we are known when we are gone."

"That sounds like something a Crafter would say. A kind with short lives who still try to change the realms to their will for the short time they dwell in them."

"Well, persistence has to count for something." he grinned "But hush now, it looks like the fireworks are starting." And indeed they were, for as he spoke the first rocket flew into the sky, dappling the star filled expanse above us with flashing patches of blue luminescence that winked out almost as soon as they appeared. More quickly followed the first, a continuous stream of light throwing itself skyward before falling, returning to the ground after being thwarted by the irresistible force of gravity.

"It's beautiful isn't it." Flare sighed, gaze tracing the path of the falling rockets. "I'm glad you brought me."

"And I'm glad you like it." I murmured, wishing for a moment that this evening would never end. But nothing lasts forever.


	12. Alone

**A/N: Hey, sorry this is a bit short, but school is back in session and I had a lot of homework. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Story Twelve: Alone<strong>

** Summary: Building day comes and goes as Steve's realm is onslaught by Chaos, the shifting seasons forgotten with the onslaught of the sand. The Overworld's lord, alone, forgotten by many, is reminded of what is truly important and what should be clung to and never let go.**

**Steve's POV**

There are few feelings truly like being alone. Now I don't mean alone like left home while the people you know go to do something else for the afternoon. I mean day after day of endless loneliness, trying to find some way to fill the hole through tasks that mean nothing. The worst for me though, was the silence. The slightest sound set nerves on edge for hours, a panicked hope that on one hand it could be those you love coming to save you from loneliness, but it could also be the enemy finding you or merely a shift in the room.

It was not until Building Day that I realized that I had been, at least in part, forgotten. Usually the holiday was a chore, an endless march of Crafters coming to meet me. But this year I had hoped that things would be different, what with my family being together again as much as we could be and out of the Overworld where Crafters might be watching. But Israphel's sands swept over everything, sweeping further with every passing day, and the seasons were forgotten, replaced by the sand's strange half summer. And so Building Day came, and for once it did not bring the strange rush of energy that I had always felt, the renewing of the link with my brothers that came every year. Instead, I was just.. empty, anticipating something that never came. And so most of the little hope I had died. For if you are not remembered, what is there to live for?

Poor lord. a voice murmured, a soft voice that I had not heard before, yet it seemed somewhat familiar to me You feel abandoned by those who are closest to you, feeling the loss of their attention keenly. Yet when you are together once more, they shall say the same in reverse, for their wish to be with you is equal to your desire to be with them.

"Who is there?" I asked, eyes darting around the room as I hoped to see a figure, hoping this even though I knew that there was a chance that they wished to harm me, and that even if their intent was good, that if they had any strong level of magic that their mere presence might be enough to shatter my fragile magic.

Oh light, do not tell me that you have bought into your paired lord's own mistruths. The voice sighed, a voice I was now able to identify as female. You of all the lords should be able to tell when he is bending reality with his words.

"What are you saying?" I asked, no longer caring who this was, merely wishing to know what she was suggesting.

First let me tell you my name. she said, voice slightly louder now. I am Star, keeper of the light that dwells in darkness.

"Are you here just in spirit?" I asked, not wanting to risk reaching out to see if I could sense her presence for fear that she was incorrect and it might damage my magic after all.

My physical form is not visible, if that is what you are asking. she said And you need not fear. Even if what your paired lord said was true, the power within me would cause no damage to you. My power lies elsewhere, and I cannot harm you even if I were to wish to.

"But what would make Shatter lie to me?" I asked, closing my eyes.

Light, you know the reason. she said Even if you do not admit it to yourself. Your paired lord can feel it, and acts on the thoughts that you barely resister yourself. You carry the desire to hide your unfortunate state from those you care about, not wanting to share with them the hurt you feel or for them to increase the level of concern that they have for you. While this may be noble at its core, it is what shall destroy you if you do not return to your allies. It is true that your powers may not adjust well at first to the presence of other magics, but they should adapt. The longer you stay away though, the longer that it will take for them to mend, and the greater the chance that your magic shall be damaged.

"But.." I said, my words trailing off as my mouth suddenly felt dry. I didn't know what to say to that, my thoughts a chaotic jumble. "I'm just so confused, and this is all at such a stressful time. What should I do?" My eyes once again resumed their unconscious search of the room for any sign of another person, hoping for a glance of reassurance, a comforting smile, anything to break through the barrier of nerves and conflicted emotions that surrounded my fragile resolve.

I cannot tell you what path you must take. That is not my way. But I will say that to follow your heart would be a good place to start, for it knows what you truly need. With that, a breeze rose up in the previously still room, ruffling the packages of supplies that sat a t various random points throughout the room, largely untouched.

"Wait!" I gasped, the loneliness that had engulfed me before already threatening to sweep in again, to swallow me up in its greedy clutches. "Don't go. I don't know what to do. I don't want to be alone again."

Follow your heart. A last whisper from Star seemed to say. Follow your heart and you'll rarely go wrong, you'll find your way home not after too long. And just like that, she was gone, the faint indications of her presence flickering into nothingness.

"I guess that's it." I sighed, laying back on my cot and halfheartedly grabbing at the blankets that had slipped off the side, hoping to reclaim them to have some chance at combating the chill that always filled the cave. "I'm alone again. Back to doing nothing, forgotten by the world." But even as I said this, the soft words echoing off the walls of the cave like room, Star's words would not leave me. Follow my heart? While I didn't know what my head was trying to get me to do besides sit around being unhelpful and indecisive, my heart seemed to have a pretty clear purpose in mind. Get out of this place and go somewhere safe, where those I knew could keep me safe from the growing chaos dwelled, bringing with them the comfort of soft, reassuring words and gentle touches to my aura, nothing like the fierce shards of pain that the sand drove into me on a regular basis now.

"So it's decided." I whispered, feeling like speaking of my self given plans too loudly would betray them to some unknown power, preventing me from carrying them out even when I myself barely dared to believe in them "I shall go to the others, seeking out comfort in their presences and through their care. The journey will be dangerous, for I do not know the Aether well and this place is quite far from the palace where the others stay, but if I am to do it, I must do it now, while I have the will to do so. By the time that Shatter next returns, I may have lost that will. No, my mind is made up, and I must prepare at once. There is nothing that will keep me from the others now, no matter how long it takes me to reach them.

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><p><strong>AN: So this was originally going to be in Izra's fall, but I decided to introduce Star differently, so while these events still happen, they are told from different perspectives and as recollections. However, I still really wanted to write this scene in particular, so I hope that you enjoyed. I also hope that you enjoyed _The Twelve Days of Craftsmas_ in general, as it was my first attempt at a story or collection that I had to update every day. Have a great day and I hope you consider reading my other works. Bye! :D**


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